In general, a stationary X-ray imaging device is used in an X-ray room in a hospital, and a mobile X-ray imaging device is used in an operating room. The mobile X-ray imaging device is called C-arm because of its shape. The C-arm is a device that captures X-ray images, performs image processing in a computer, and displays a video image in real time on a monitor when a physician in the operating room aligns bones or implants screws or pins while operating on patients with bone fractures, patients with disc problems, or patients with spine related problems, or when the physician examines the bone structure at various angles or visually checks whether the bone is in the correct position when performing manual repositioning (adjusting the bones without surgery) of the fracture. As such, the X-ray imaging device is an essential device especially for orthopedic operations and neurosurgical operations.
The C-arm requires a smaller radiation dose than the stationary X-ray imaging device, but while the C-arm is operated (i.e., while the operator's foot is on the foot switch, about 30 seconds to 1 minute depending on the operator of the X-ray imaging device) during operation, the operator (hereinafter, ‘operator’ refers to a doctor, a nurse, a surgeon, an operation assistant, an X-ray imaging device operator, etc.) is constantly exposed to radiation. Accordingly, after a major surgical operation that takes several hours, the radiation dose is increased because the operator is exposed to radiation for a long time. As a result, extreme fatigue is caused after surgery, and long-term repeated exposure to radiation causes damage to the human body including cancer, leukemia, etc.
In an effort to reduce the radiation dose to the operator as well as the patient during surgery, the applicant (inventor) of the present invention has developed Korean Patent No. 1145143, entitled “Radiation shield apparatus for X-ray photographing device”, and has developed and patented Korean Patent No. 1225241, entitled “Radiation shield apparatus for X-ray photographing device”, which has a more compact structure and is capable of significantly reducing the radiation dose.
The present applicant has commercialized patented products currently on the market. The above-patented products have a radiation shielding effect, but they are heavy and the mounting location of the shield apparatus cannot be changed. In addition, actual users have demanded a more compact and more lightweight radiation shielding unit that is capable of being mounted in various locations while providing a radiation shielding effect, so the present applicant has developed the present invention while continuing research and development in order to comply with such practical requests.